Cazzy’s Corner Grill – Knoxville Tennessee

Another cloudy cold spring day in East Tennessee…  This spring has been much colder and gloomier than last year.  I really shouldn’t complain as it could be much worse…we could still be living and experiencing spring in the Chicago area!  That would mean we’d have to wait until late April/early May to warm up and green up…

However, the weather did discourage us from going for a drive in the country or going to the driving range to hit a few.  I remembered hearing about a ‘new’ restaurant, (at least new to us), on our local NBC TV affiliate, WBIR.  So off we went for our midday repast!

 

Our Magellan Road Mate GPS managed to get us to the general vicinity of Cazzy’s Corner Grill…about 3 blocks away at an intersection with zero buildings ‘she’ announced that “We’d arrived at our destination”.  Fortunately Dawn Marie’s Smart Phone managed to redirect us to the correct corner.

We’d driven right past the restaurant as we were totally focused on the GPS unit, ignoring the tall building on the corner.  We pulled in the parking lot and this was the entrance to Cazzy’s…

 

This is the front of Cazzy’s Corner Grill.  There is some patio seating, the signing that we just didn’t see and what looks like a main entrance…but isn’t.  The parking is all in the back as shown in the previous photo so I’m sure that 98% of their customers enter via that door.

 

 

We’d arrived a bit early for lunch so the restaurant was almost empty.  As you can see, the décor was that of an upscale sports bar and grill.  WBIR TV had featured Cazzy’s Corner Grill a week or so earlier because it had sponsored a charitable fundraiser.

 

 

Laurie took this photo of Cazzy’s dining area a bit after we arrived and the luncheon crowd had begun to filter in…

The founder of this restaurant had previously worked for or with Macaroni Grill, P.F. Chang’s, Flemming’s and Cozy Mels.  In addition, he’s developed a couple of local concept restaurants…Wok Hay and Dead End BBQ.

 

We started out with an order of Fried Pickles. ($6.99) It came with either ranch dressing or the house dipping sauce.  We went with the house dipping sauce and it was a good move.  The pickles were fried just right and the tangy sauce was perfect with them…although we did have to ask for a bit more sauce.

Other appetizers on the menu include the usual standards as well as a couple that you don’t see all the time.  The highest price for an appetizer was $10.99.  Choices include Chicken ‘Tenders’, Chips and Salsa, Chicken Wings, Nachos, Flatbread and Hummus, Sliders, Fried Mushrooms, Wisconsin Fried Mozzarella, Onion Rings and Fried Green Tomatoes.

 

For her brunch/lunch, Laurie chose the French Dip with homemade au jus and homemade potato chips.  It was a good sandwich with nice au jus and it was on a very nice baguette.  The chips had great flavor but they were a little too salty.

Other sandwiches on the menu include a selection of hamburgers, plus a turkey burger, a veggie burger, a Pesto BLT, a couple of chicken creations and a deli type sandwich featuring turkey, pastrami and Swiss cheese.  All sandwiches come with one side… The most expensive sandwich is $10.99. 

Available sides include mac and cheese, parmesan green beans, broccoli, red bliss mashed potatoes, baked beans, Texas caviar, sweet potato mash, cole slaw, onion rings, French fries, fresh chips and corn on the cob.

 

For her entrée, Dawn ordered from the Appetizer Menu.  This is the Cuban Quesadilla, ($10.99), with a side of Mac and Cheese.  This quesadilla consists of pulled pork, ham, Swiss cheese, pickles and BBQ sauce served between two flour tortillas with Cuban mojo sauce on the side.  Dawn asked them to leave off the BBQ sauce.  Living in Miami, she didn’t like the idea of BBQ sauce on a Cuban type sandwich… She enjoyed her quesadilla but she thought that the Mac and Cheese was just average.

There are 10 salads on the menu at Cazzy’s Corner Grill.  They range from the House Salad ($4.99), to a Caprese Salad ($8.99), a Caesar Salad w/Salmon ($11.98), to a Arugula Salad w/Shrimp ($13.99)

 

As per the information on the website, Cazzy’s Corner Grill has a number of ‘signature dishes’.  These include a Cajun-encrusted sirloin, the Cazzy Joe (a version of a Sloppy Joe), and the Pastrami Burger.  Since I like Pastrami and it really sounded different, I ordered the Pastrami Burger with a side of French fries. ($10.99) This sandwich consisted of chopped pastrami cooked and served burger-style, topped with a fried egg and Swiss cheese on a Kaiser bun. 

OK…I just didn’t get it.  By chopping and ‘cooking the pastrami burger style’, I thought that that great pastrami flavor was diminished.  Maybe the pastrami was too lean?  I think that un-chopped slightly ‘wet’ pastrami would have worked better.  I sure liked the concept but it just didn’t work for me. (I know that Larry, aka ‘Big Dude’ at http://bigdudesramblings.blogspot.com/ could make this creation ‘pop’, especially since an egg is involved!) The French fries were just OK… I preferred the homemade potato chips.

The menu also includes Fish and Seafood, Pasta as well as Steaks, Pork and Chicken.  To view the menu and to learn more about Cazzy’s Corner Grill, go to www.cazzyscorner.com.   Cazzy’s Corner Grill is located at the Northshore Town Center at 2099 Thunderhead Road in Knoxville Tennessee.  They are open 7 days a week.  Phone: 865-657-9624.

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them…

Thanks for stopping by and sharing lunch with Laurie, Dawn Marie and myself!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave